The Commerce Commission has extended the deadline for submissions on its Discussion Paper on Regulation of Electricity Lines Businesses, in response to requests from interested parties. The new date for submissions is Friday 31 May 2002.

The change in date for the submissions will not affect the dates of the Commission's public conference, which will be held in Wellington on 17-19 and 23-24 July.

The Discussion Paper, released in March, describes the Commission's proposals for its new responsibilities under the Commerce Act to control the 30 large electricity lines businesses, including Transpower.

The Commission invites interested parties, including consumers and industry participants, to make written submissions on the proposals in the Discussion Paper. The public conference will allow interested parties to make oral presentations and the Commission to ask questions.

In providing the extension, the Commission is conscious that electricity market participants have other submission deadlines around this date, including the Commission's own request for submissions on its Draft Determination on the application for authorisation of the proposed market governance arrangements made by the Electricity Governance Board Limited.

Media contact: Network Performance Manager Peter Alsop

Phone work (04) 924 3676

Communications Manager Jackie Maitland Phone work (04) 924 3708, mobile 029 924 3708